Big Drop in Price of my Car

By Jian Shuo Wang on 2004-03-22 23:46 · Goudaner

Bugs posted a piece of news under my entry Jian Shuo Got His Car. Obviously, it was not good news for me. The news said:

Starting from March 18, Palio, Siena, Palio Weekend’s price will decrease by 12%. Average price cut is 10,000 RMB….

Well. I just bought the car on March 15 and the model FIAT Siena 1.5 HL droped price by 5,100 RMB. It is so bad.

Anway, the bad mood didn’t last long after I see the car. It is still lovely and who can always predict everything? Many people suggested me to give the car a nick name. It is a good idea. I want to call it Goudaner 狗蛋儿 - something like small dog or even dog shit. Unlike the western tradition, people in counties will typically give a very cheap, ugly nick names to their child. It is said thus the child grow up better due the exteremely low expectation :-D. Goudaner is the most commently used names. I just want to give it a dirt cheap name and hope the car seldom break and last long.

7 Comments

The nickname you chose for your car makes me laugh! I'm sure you have guaranteed that it will have a long and trouble-free life. Good choice!

As for the price change...sounds like what happens all the time here in our stock market. "If only..." is the thing people say over and over again about many investments. Too bad they don't come with a crystal ball (for magically seeing into the future). Some places here have a great policy though -- if you buy something for a regular price and then it goes "on sale" soon after you bought it, the store will refund you the difference if you come in and ask for it within a certain (short) length of time. Maybe you should ask if the place that sold you the car would like to become a trend-setter and adopt this customer-friendly sales policy. You could make consumer history as a pioneer!

— Carroll · 2004-03-23 06:29

Sorry to hear that they haved lowered the price on the car. I think Carroll is right, never hurts to ask if they could make up the difference between the old price and the new one. Regardless, you got the car not just because of the price but because it is a means of transportation and freedom from having to rely on public transportation for all your travels. Cars are like computers, the minute you leave with it off the showroom floor they start to depreciate, what you do with the car or the computer determines it's real value! Enjoy it for what it is and what it offers, freedom to go where you want to go, when you want to go.

— Paul Ayala · 2004-03-23 09:46

Yes. I am OK with the news. I have checked with the car dealer, but they only offer three free maintainance with value of about 1000 RMB. It is good enough since the car manufacture's sales manager said to press that they do consider the feeling of old car buyers but they don't offer anything for these customers. Original article (Chinese) is here. http://auto.sina.com.cn/news/2004-03-17/59404.shtml

— Jian Shuo Wang · 2004-03-23 20:19

Here's some free advice: when you take your car for service, watch the tech's work on it. You have no idea how many times people have went in for a simple oil change at the dealership (called Stealerships in the U.S., guess why =) and they forget to put the new oil in. Then try to deny any fault and one is stuck going to court. Just keep an eye on them and keep all paperwork ;)

— Rogi · 2004-03-24 09:21

— Rogi · 2004-03-24 09:23

— Rogi · 2004-03-24 09:34

Sudden price cut by 12%? This article interests me. Why such a price reduction happened? I thought demand on automobile has been growing in Shnaghai, but in fact not? Car sales became sluggish? or just the car maker launched a new model and try to dispose old model at bargain price? or any other else?

— tane · 2004-03-24 21:58